


Fallen Petals

by acedragonqueen



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Slow Burn, au where people grow flowers when they fall in love with someone, bucky barnes deserves better than what the marvel writers put him through, marvel give him to me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-10-26 14:24:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10788525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acedragonqueen/pseuds/acedragonqueen
Summary: For most of his life, Bucky Barnes had never grown any flowers.  There were the few blooming across his back from his family and that was all he needed.  But one day he noticed something.  A small bud beginning to grow on the back of his neck. The spot where flowers grew for those in love.  Shit.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this AU at 2 in the morning guys go easy on me if the idea isn't very developed.

For most of his life, Bucky Barnes had never grown any flowers. There were the few blooming across his back from his family and that was all he needed. In a world where people grew flowers upon feeling love, Bucky guessed he should have known better than to assume he would only always have those familiar blossoms. "Bucky! You sleepin'?" A hand pat his shoulder to jolt him out of his daze. He looked up to see Steve. 

"I'm not asleep, but I'm not awake either." He groaned as he shoved his books into his bag.

"I can tell." Steve chuckled. "Come on, library's closing and I want to get back to our dorms before it gets any less visible outside."

"It can't be that late. We've only been studying for finals for what, like an hour?" Bucky rubbed his eyes after slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"3 actually. Almost 4." Steve picked up his own bag. "And I'm beginning to believe Tony was right about getting that extra sleep during 6th hour."

"Don't let him hear that, it'll go to his head." Bucky laughed as they made their way to the front doors.

"Oh yeah." They laughed and talked all the way to the dorm.

"Aw shit. Nat told me to give her the science book after we finished." Steve slapped his forehead as the reached their door.

"Can't you wait till morning to give it back?" Bucky asked, his hand on the doorknob.

"No, she said she has to leave early to grab Sharon from her aunt's house. Apparently she went all the way over there to study and her car broke down on the way. And finals begin in two days, she'll have to go straight there from dropping Sharon off. I'll be really quick." Steve pulled the book out of his bag before handing the satchel to Bucky. "You can leave the door unlocked, I'll sprint." 

Bucky huffed out a laugh. "Be quick." Before Steve could tear down the hallway, Bucky pulled him into a hug.

"Be careful too. Nat's dorm is across campus and I saw Brock Rumlow and the other assholes drinking over there earlier. I can't go losing my best friend to those dicks, can I?" His words were twisted like a joke but laced with very real concern.

"Yeah cause you'd be lost without me wouldn't you." Steve said teasingly. "But I understand. I'll be careful."

"Not your usual reckless punk self?"

"Now that, I have never been in my life." Steve called as he went down the hall.

"You're a fucking liar Rogers!" Bucky yelled after him. As Steve disappeared, Bucky felt something wash over him. He recalled the look on Steve's face as he pulled away from the hug. Bucky shook his head as if to clear his mind before entering the apartment.

He had no idea what kind of change would await him in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a disclaimer, I'm writing all of these chapters on mobile for both of my works in very little time so they're no where near my best style of writing.

Bucky blinked his eyes open sleepily. Sunlight peeked through the blinds in his dorm falling in beams across his face. 

He pulled himself out of the small bed half heartedly. 

Steve’s bed, that was across from his, was empty. 

'Probably's up early again.' Bucky thought to himself rolling his eyes. He walked to the open wardrobe to grab a change of shirt and pants, his keys, and toothbrush. Then he left the room, locking the door behind him and making his way to the dorm restrooms down the hall. 

There were only a small handful of people in there. A shower was running and Bucky wondered if it was worth it to take one this early. Probably not with how late it would make him to class. Instead he simply went to a sink and began to brush his teeth. He brushed some hair out of his face after he rinsed off the toothbrush. Bucky admired the slight stubble he was getting. Taking a black ponytail off his wrist he began to tie up his hair in a bun when he felt something on the nape of his neck.

He narrowed his brow in confusion. Feeling in the same place again, there was a slight difference he might not have caught before if he was a little more tired.

Remembering a trick his mother had taught him about mirrors he darted out into the hallway until he found Peggy's dorm room.

"What do you need Mr. Barnes?" She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she answered the door.

"Do you have a handheld mirror?" He said with panic in his voice. Peggy looked concerned at that.

"Of course. Is something wrong?" She fumbled in a makeup bag on a table next to her door until she pulled out the mirror.

"I'll tell you later if there is." He thanked her and sprinted back to the bathroom. 

Holding the mirror up above him with his back to the large vanity mirror he looked at the handhelds reflection to see what the larger mirror saw on his neck.

As he angled it, Bucky'd heart dropped in his chest. Brushing back the wisps of baby hair to get a better look he saw what he had felt. 

A small budding flower was growing. 

Now Bucky wouldn't normally have a problem with that. He had plenty of flowers blooming across his back from the love he had for his family. There were small blossoms growing along his arms for the love he had for his friends.

But the offending bud made his heart swell with fear. It's placement was reserved for those in romantic love with someone. 

Over the years, Bucky had grown his fair share of those. All of which eventually withering away until they were no longer there. His luck in the romance department wasn't exactly the best. He fell easily, loved hard, and lost painfully.

And this time he had no idea who it was he was in love with.

He left the bathroom in a hurry. Returning the mirror to Peggy's door without knocking and handing it to her himself he sprinted back to his own dorm.

Bucky fumbled with the keys as he tried to unlock his door. He swore loudly when he missed the keyhole once more.

"Jeez Buck, what did the lock do to you?" A voice said from behind him. He jumped as he was startled.

Steve. 

Bucky sighed with relief at first to have his best friend to help him. If there was anyone who could calm him down and help him figure it out, it would be Steve.

Or that's what he thought, until there was a light tickling at the back of his neck. He reached back and felt the flower. It had grown a little bit more.

"Oh fuck no."

Bucky swore loudly and Steve raised his eyebrows.

"Good morning to you too? Is everything all right?" He asked with concern.

Bucky shook his head. "Nope. Everything fucking sucks." He finally got the door unlocked and swung it open forcefully.

He flopped over on his bed, pulling out the ponytail so that his hair fell over the flower and hid it.

"Care to talk about it?" Steve asked sitting on his own bed.

Bucky hesitated. "I'm just feeling really sick. I think I'm going to call my professors and skip today."

"But finals-"

"I just need some alone time Steve. I'll think of something."

Steve looked hesitant but moved to give Bucky a comforting pat on the back, careful of his flowers.

"Feel better then pal." Was all he said before grabbing his coat and bag and leaving.

Bucky watched him leave and groaned in frustration after the door clicked shut.

He grabbed his own bag and reasoned to himself that he couldn't miss his finals.

Why, did he have to go and grow a flower?

Especially one for his best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m in finals rn so slow chapters until break.

The hydrangeas wouldn't go away. 

Bucky kept subconsciously checking the small blue blossoms on his neck. As hopeless as he knew it was, he couldn't help but try and gently pull them out by the stems. They just bloomed back within a minute. So he was left with a pile of flowers on his bed and a crisis of feelings over his friend. Winter break had begun. His freedom had not. Steve, Peggy, Nat, Sam, and Thor had all gone home. But campus was open for the holidays and Bucky didn't feel like going home this year. He sighed, watching snow fall through the bare trees outside of his window. He and Steve had decorated the dorm with some tinsel and a tiny fake tree on the desk they shared. Bucky had a string of lights above his bed year-round but they added to the atmosphere during the holidays. He smiled softly. He would spend the holiday alone but it filled him with a bittersweet feeling. It was nice to just enjoy the moment. Quiet except for the Christmas music coming from his laptop. Bucky swept the pile of hydrangeas into a wastebasket and shoved some old homework on top of them. No use worrying about them during a supposedly happy season. He didn't want to spend the whole holiday moping.

But it wasn't the flowers themselves that bothered him. Everyone was used to having flowers. Romantic or not. Hell, he was so proud of the iris flowers that sprouted up his arms and the vibrant chrysanthemums spread across his back like angel wings that he let Steve paint them anytime he was lacking inspiration. Which the poor man did all the time. Steve was talented but struggled with art block nearly every other day. No, none of that bothered him. It was the fact that they had only appeared then. Why then? He'd been friends with Steve for years and none but the iris flowers had appeared before. 

Bucky knew the answer. Part of him had always loved Steve. Like a brother at first, and then into a strong crush. But the night the flowers grew, was the night he truly fell in love. 

He always expected that the next time he would fall in love, it would be special. Some perfect moment where everything was just right. 

He could remember Steve's face after he hugged him. The genuine concern he felt at the possibility of that neo-Nazi asshole Rumlow hurting him. Not that Steve couldn't take care of himself. Those eyes though. They held Bucky's entire heart in them. 

Bucky slam dunked those thoughts into the wastebasket with the flowers. 

The other thing about winter break was the weird ways people decided to celebrate the holidays. Thor had actually stayed the longest, opting to return home only after Bruce, Val, and his brother had gone. Bucky enjoyed the man's company, probably because he got along strangely with the personified definitions of sunshine. Exhibit A, Steve. Exhibit B, the crazy man named after a Norse god who gave great hugs despite looking like a menacing bodybuilder. But to be fair that view of him lasted about two seconds or at least until he began speaking. Thor decided his mission was to try and get Bucky wasted and actually enjoy the holidays. Bucky made the mistake of going along with it. Don't get him wrong, it was nice to have a friend like Thor but he could see why the man hung out with a select few true friends. They were the only ones who could outdrink him. And Bucky prided himself on his alcohol tolerance. 

Speaking of drunk people, he could suddenly hear poorly sung carols being shouted outside. He looked out of his window to see a group of people his age outside the dorms, one guy with an arm thrown over his buddy's shoulders, the other holding a beer bottle. Another was being carried across someone's shoulders the same way rednecks hold deer. Bucky had mixed feelings about the Midwest. A girl was encouraging the guys in their singing and Bucky could hear the group's laughter. The seven people wandering around seemed to be having a blast. Suddenly Bucky began to regret spending Christmas alone. 

The universe must have felt guilty about the flowers because at that moment he heard a knock at the door. He frowned at it. Even with the campus being open, not many people had stuck around. Especially at this hour. Everyone left was either out at bars or Christmas parties. Bucky reluctantly opened the door.

He was absolutely floored to see Steve, standing there holding a bottle of champagne and a gift bag. “Don’t tell campus security.” He said with a grin, handing the bottle to Bucky.

“I thought you were supposed to be on a plane home?”

“And leave my best friend all alone on Christmas? Nothing in the world could make me do that pal.” Steve stepped into their dorm and took off his coat.

Bucky quickly closed the door and slumped down on his bed. “I didn’t think champagne was your style Rogers.”

“Eh I figured it was classier than vodka.”

“Ya know how to make a guy feel special.” Bucky laughed. Steve popped the bottle and Bucky ducked as the stopper flew at his head, hitting the wall. “And how to make him fear for his life.”

“Sorry.”

Bucky tossed the stopper at him lightly. “So what’s the real reason you’re back here?”

Steve sighed. “My plane was delayed. While I was waiting I kept thinking about you not going home this year. Buck, you can’t spend Christmas alone. I called my mom and told her to go to that party her friends invited her too. She hasn’t had a Christmas for herself for a while. Plus I’ll see her on New Years.” Bucky was about to cut in. “Bucky I cancelled my flight. And I’m staying.”

“You’re a stubborn man Rogers.”

“So I’ve been told.” Steve grabbed the gift bag he had brought off of his bed. “I almost forgot. Here’s your present.”

Bucky suddenly remembered the present for Steve sitting in his car. He’d hoped to give it to him after break but now was a good opportunity too. Regardless, he dug into the bag, pulling out the colored paper.

“Whoa.” Bucky breathed out quietly. 

Steve had gotten him a picture framed of a photo Bucky had taken over the summer. Except the photo was a painted version of it. Steve must have been working on it for a while with all the perfect details. It was of him, Steve and Sam, before they were going to enter their senior year of college. Happy and carefree, ready for whatever came next. Natasha was vaguely in the background, acting like she didn’t know she was in frame while having a conversation with Peggy, who looked as flawless as ever. It was a perfect encapsulated moment of all his friends and Bucky feeling at home.

“Steve - I.” He didn’t know how to respond. A smile toyed at the edge of his mouth.

“Glad you like it.” Steve said.

“Yeah. I love it.” Bucky placed the picture on the end table at the foot of his bed. “I’ve got your present in my car.”

“It can wait till the morning. It’s frozen out.” Steve said.

“You’re getting your present tonight, whether I get hypothermia or not.” He said before Steve could stop him from leaving the dorm. After a minute, Steve followed him out as Bucky stepped into the freezing cold.

“You couldn’t have brought a coat?” Steve scolded him.

“I was in a rush to avoid being stopped.” Bucky teased him.

“And you say I’m stubborn.” Steve grumbled.

The biting wind nipped at Bucky’s ears and cheeks. He watched his breath billow out like a cloud. Luckily the snow wasn’t covering a layer of sheer ice. Suddenly Bucky felt a coat being pulled over his shoulders. He realized Steve was sharing his coat. Steve didn’t make eye contact with him.

When they reached Bucky’s cat he struggled to open the frozen trunk until he and Steve managed to break away the frost. 

“Viola.” Bucky waved an arm at the contents of his trunk.

About three months of hard work sat in his car trunk and as Steve pulled it out, it was all worth it to see the look on his face.

He held the replica Captain America shield with awe. Steve has always been a fan of the comics, especially because of the similarities between him and Cap. Bucky had always wanted to make him a shield of some kind but hadn’t gotten around to it until the past couple months.

“Buck, this is incredible.” Steve fit it to his arm. “Kind of makes my gift feel like a joke.”

“No, your present was the best thing I could’ve asked for.” Bucky said defensively.

Steve hugged him, the shield getting awkwardly squished between them. “Hehe, whoops.” He backed away. “Thanks pal.”

“No problem.” Bucky smiled.

They returned to the warmth of the dorm and Bucky hung up Steve’s coat again.

“Are you gonna take your scarf off or look like a rich frat boy all night?” Bucky teased Steve, who suddenly looked uncomfortable.

Steve hesitated, then slowly took off his scarf. 

Bucky’s heart dropped as he saw what Steve was hiding.

Flowers were growing at the base of his neck. They weren’t fully grown, he suspected only a day or less old. Steve rubbed the back of his neck in an attempt to flatten the flowers.

“You’ve got flowers?” Bucky asked, hiding the break in his voice. His face was devoid of emotion.

“They started to grow while I was waiting for my plane. I didn’t even realize it for a bit.”

Bucky swallowed the lump growing in his throat.

“You fell in love with someone at the airport? Kinda cliche don’t cha think?” Bucky joked.

“I guess it is.” They we’re silent for a beat.

“So what’s their name?” Bucky asked.

Steve blushed. “I-“ He was cut off as he glanced over to the trashcan where Bucky had dumped his flowers earlier. Shit. Steve pushed aside the sloppily placed papers to reveal the hydrangeas before Bucky could stop him. And Steve knew what flower types Bucky’s familial and platonic loves were.

“Looks like I’m not the only one.” 

Bucky almost glared at the smugness in his voice. Like Steve was suddenly glad to have attention taken off of him.

“It’s complicated.” Bucky mumbled.

“I’d say so if you’re in love. To be honest, as guarded as you act, you wear your heart on your sleeve. But I’d call it complicated for you to be trying to get rid of them.” Steve gestured at the hydrangeas.

“It is.” Bucky said pointlessly. 

“I won’t ask if you don’t want to talk about it.” Bucky stared at him.

“Agreed. And I won’t either.”

“Deal.”

Bucky felt like he had just sealed his fate.

**Author's Note:**

> Go check out my original stories on Wattpad at SpacenerdLeliel if you enjoyed this!


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